The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-12-02

company, and she listened to the per-
Suasions OF her relatives and went to
the city for q short visit, leaving Ac-
ton behind. It was the first and only
tiHa5, acton seSHsSaa willing .sS== Ae=
20. During the first few days he APP
peared content, and behaved with
great propriety, but when a week or
ten days had gone by, one norm
ing he came out of his room in one of
his worst moods and, going into the
kitchen, ordered Aunt Dicey to write
and tell Alberta to come home.
"Who, me?" cried Aunt Dicey, in
amazement. Laws a-mussyi chile, /
canh write. Don you know / canh
writef ! dunner B from bullfoot.
You write it, honey"
But Acton was determined, delar-
ing that he would have mo foollng."
And when she still protested he caught
up the c~arvingknife and chased the
terrified old woman all over the house
until she, with calculating, il tardy
wit, ran in and sat down at Alberta's
writing-table, where she breathiessly
seized a pen and made a pretense of
writing a letter. Having filled a
sheet with unintelligible marks, she
folded il hastily and put it in an en-
velope, which she then sealed with a
drop OF melted sealing-wax, stamping
the same with the Ravenal crest, as
she had often seen Alberta do. This
done, the cunning creature spoke per-
suasively TO the boy, whostood guard
at the door, carving knife in hand.
Now, honey, you write de name on
de outside, Gaze you KIN write de put
tyes', you know"
And, dropping the big knife, Acton
complied without a word, afterwards
stamping the letter and sending it of
to the post.
When Alberta received Aunt Dicey's
hieroglyphic scrawl she knew that
something must be wrong; SO she took
the next train for home. Never again
after that would she consent to go
away and leave Acton behind.
Alberta's heart was heavy over what
the boy had done. Heretofore she
had felt almost convinced that she
could cure him, for Acton was not
half-witted, nor an imbecile; he talked
nationally enough when he chose, as
it seemed, and his intellect was as
keen as it could be, perhaps. It was
only that he would do strange and
sometimes silly things when the evil
mood was on him.
Alberta sat with him and held his
hand and wept a long time when she
came home and had heard the tale.
Acton looked deeply remorseful and
submitted to her rebuke without any
visible irritation. After that, for
some days, he was as quiet as q lamb,
permitting himself no other excite
ment than that of playing on the pl-
ano his frenzied ~rhapsodies, which
Aunt Dicey had christened collective
" ode Ole Boys tune" Acton had
played without being taught, from a
small child. Later he was taught, of
course, but the boy gave little heed to
his musical instruction; it yexed and
worried him, and he went on playing
his own wierd music.
Sometimes his tunes were overflow
ing with rofiicking gaye5y; sometimes
they we're treighted with signs and
tears, with grief and madness, with the
echo of stifled shri KS and the r&ttle OF
dead bones; they were always wild.
Impressionable Alberta laughed or
shed a shower of tears by turns as she
listened.
Acton had a 'friend" down in the
woods whom he often visited. He
would tel no one whence this friend
came or where he lived. He said that
the name of his friend was "Billy," but
no more.
snow. you must tell me-" said AL
berta, one day. "Who this Billy
you go down to the woods to see. is
it q darkey?"
Acton shack his head in indignant
denial.
"Then is it the white man who splits
rails?"
Acton seemed vastly amused at the
idea, and shook his head again laugh
ina
HWho is Billy Them 4 = OH
is it an animal? Is it a rabbit? Have
you tanned q rabbit, a raccoon, or o
fox?"
Her eyes were alight with pleasure
at this thought; but no-the mys-
terry was not yet solved. you'll new
err guess in the world" said Acton,
with an exultant laugh, and refused
to commit himsels further.
Alberta began to be afraid OF "Bil-
ly's'' Observation-Disclosures influence
that was-when it gradually became
apparent that Acton's bad moods
were more apt to occur on his return
from the woods than at anv other
time. So it Was her constant care to
see that he stayed off to the woods
alone as little al possible.
Judge Sharp. q portly though fine
looking widower OF Wiregrass Ridge,
the neighboring village. had fallen in
love with Alberta, and apparently
had made up his mind to try his for
tune as a sutton for her hand. greatly
to the indignation OF Acton who very
soon took steps toward driving this
presuming judge away. The second
time he came the boy began operations.
MI. afforrnAn .vao xoaNrn on1 A1hn~No